Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Ministers statements: family violence

Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Suburban Development) (14:27): I am pleased to provide an update on the government’s work to support victim-survivors of family violence. We know that gendered violence remains the leading cause of death, disability and illness for women under 45 and that Victoria Police respond to an incident of family violence on average every 7 minutes. This is a deeply serious matter. That is why we established the Royal Commission into Family Violence and then implemented all 227 recommendations, and it is why since 2017 we have invested more than $3.86 billion to build a more responsive, connected and accountable family and sexual violence system.

We know that there is much more work to be done, and in the recent budget we demonstrated our continued support to those impacted by family violence. This includes a $15 million investment to ensure victims of family violence continue to receive the support that they need to stay safe; $23 million for perpetrator responses to keep people who use violence engaged, in view and accountable; and $31 million for Aboriginal-led family violence and sexual assault service delivery. We are also working across the community on important projects to create lasting change, including supporting 137 individual prevention projects to help bring about the generational change that we need to see – projects like the Baby Makes 3 program, which the member for Eltham is well aware of, with 53 childbirth and parenting educators being trained to promote healthy relationships and challenge rigid gender roles through their engagement with first-time parents. Our journey to a future free from violence has come a long way, but we know there is more to do, and this government remains absolutely committed to ensuring that we see it through.